Startup applications are now open!
400
Challengers
6
Tracks
60
Finalists
1
Winner
Showcase your business, gain visibility, and build new partnerships
At Food Tech Challengers, we are on a mission to pinpoint the most game-changing solutions that will transform the way we produce and consume food. If your company creates disruptive solutions, this is your chance to put your product or service in the spotlight.
Food Tech Challengers provides startups from all over the globe a unique opportunity to take center stage, gain global media exposure, and showcase their solutions to a distinctive panel of 100+ investors, industry leaders and experts.
To enter, startups must be innovators in one of the six tracks fostering the food tech innovation – New Proteins, Enhancing well-being via nutrition, Food transparency, safety & security, Fighting food waste battle, Digital from farm to fork, and Regenerative agriculture.
60 finalists. 1 Winner
TOP-60 companies (10 in each track) are shortlisted by a distinguished panel of industry experts from global corporations, venture capitals, ecosystem builders and media partners.
All finalists are invited to pitch live at Food Tech Congress 2024, the leading industry conference of the year. Taking place on May 29 – 30, 2024 in Warsaw, Poland, the event offers invaluable networking opportunities and media exposure.
One company is announced the Ultimate Winner of Food Tech Challengers 2024.
Timeline
1
Application
deadline
February 19, 2024
2
Top 60
announced
March 1, 2024
Timeline
1
Application
deadline
February 19, 2024
2
Top 60
announced
March 1, 2024
3
Top 60
pitches
May 29 – 30, 2024 @ Food Tech Congress
4
Top 6 pitches & Winner
announced
May 29 – 30, 2024 @ Food Tech Congress
Why join Food Tech Challengers?
Unparalleled
Networking
All finalists are granted a complimentary ticket to Food Tech Congress 2024, taking place in Warsaw, Poland on May 29 – 30, 2024. Over 800 industry visionaries will gather to share disruptive ideas and network with a group of peers. This is your perfect chance to network and hold 1:1 meetings with the key players in food and agri tech.
Remarkable
Jury Members
Present your ground-breaking solution in front of a remarkable jury comprising the representatives of top notch venture capitals and corporations. This annual competition is designed to empower entrepreneurs and help them build new partnerships that will lead to future industry breakthroughs.
Brand
Exposure
Do not miss out on the opportunity to share your brand’s story with a global audience of over 800 attendees. Food Tech Challengers also welcomes journalists from the world’s leading media companies to give your company unparalleled reach.
Startup applications are now open
Application to the FTC is entirely free and each finalist company (60 in total/10 per track) are granted 1 complimentary ticket to Food Tech Congress 2024. May the odds be in your favour!
Winners of 2023
Ultimate
Challenger
Through cutting-edge sensor technology and innovative cloud solutions, PLAATO makes real-time fermentation insights available to breweries, cideries, and distilleries around the world; enabling them to take productivity, profitability, and product quality to the next level.
TOP 6 Challengers
MedBiome develops Precision Microbiome Therapeutics and Precision Microbiome Nutrition products that modulate the production of specific metabolites produced by the human gut microbiome.
Mill It is an innovative plant-based company that offers first organic vegan buttermilk, used to make organic plant-based salad dressings that are half the fat and calories of the leading brands.
Umami Meats is cultivating the future of sustainable seafood by crafting delicious, nutritious, affordable cultivated fish that is better for health, oceans, and our planet.
Through cutting-edge sensor technology and innovative cloud solutions, PLAATO makes real-time fermentation insights available to breweries, cideries, and distilleries around the world; enabling them to take productivity, profitability, and product quality to the next level.
NoPalm Ingredients produces local, circular and sustainable alternatives to palm oil. It is produced by oil-producing yeast that grow-on/ferment AgriFood sidestreams.
Meet the jury
Gil Horsky
Founding Partner @ FLORA Ventures
Signe Causse
Global Innovation Marketing Leader, Re-Imagine Wellness @ IFF
Shankar Shubhang
Managing Director @ Syngenta Group Ventures
Nigel Hughes
Senior Vice President Global R&D and Innovation @ Kellogg
Henrietta Hearth
Vice President @ Big Idea Ventures
Jelena Erker
Associate Director in the Agribusiness @ EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development)
Brett Brohl
Managing Partner @ Bread and Butter Ventures
Nikolaus Raupp
Investment Manager @ HTGF (High-Tech Gründerfonds Management)
Alexander Wiegelmann
General Partner @ KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA
Marie Asano
Partner @ ECFB (European Circular Bioeconomy Fund)
Madhusudan Patel
Director, New Ventures & Tech Scouting Global R&D @ IFF
Piotr Grabowski
Co-Founder @ Foodtech.ac
Micol Chiesa
Investor and Head of responsible investing @ Five Seasons Ventures
Paul Benjamin
Director @ BloombergNEF
Catherine Trillo-Blanco
Global Health Acceleration Director @ Symrise
Dr Sven Janssen
Partner and Managing Director @ TMF Growth
Kristen Rocca
Principal @ Unovis Asset Management
Gonzalo Perez-Taiman
Managing Director @ Arpegio
Florence Dusseaux
Food Consulting - Vegan Expert @ vegg2food
Giancarlo Addario
Principal @ Five Seasons Ventures
Dr Michael Betz
Head of Food Technology @ Handtmann
Jurgen Sonneborn
Senior Advisor Foreign Direct Investment Food @ Oost NL
Florian Herkner
Global Platform Manager - Plant-based Business Incubation Group Symrise @ Symrise
Ivaylo Simov
Managing Partner @ Eleven Ventures
Jordi Ràfols Fernández
CEO @ Innoget
Kim Odhner
Managing Partner Europe and Asia @ Unovis Asset Management
Dr. Roger Wyse
Venture Capitalist, Founder & Managing Partner @ Spruce Capital Partners
Julian Melchiorri
Founder & CEO @ Arborea
Mariliis Holm
Co-Founder & Partner @ Sustainable Food Ventures
Silla Scheepens
Partner @ Future Food Fund
Kip Stringfellow
Venture Partner @ VU Venture Partners
Jaroslav Trojan
Managing Partner @ Nation 1 VC
Rim Elijah
VP of Sales @ EOS Data Analytics
Annina Winkler
Investment Manager - Food & Agriculture @ Emerald Technology Ventures
Inbar Maymon-Pomeranchik
Co-Founder & CEO @ AgChimedes
Beatriz Jacoste
Director @ KM ZERO Food Innovation Hub
Pia Laguna
Climate Tech Investor @ World Fund
Iris ten Have
Head of Science @ Extantia
Danny O’Brien
Managing Director EMEA & Global Programs @ SVG Ventures
Kasia Gil
Analyst Food and Agriculture @ Icos Capital
Matt Jensen
Investor @ G2 Venture Parners
Peter Schmetz
Investment Manager @ Vorwerk Ventures
Carole Bingley
Technical Specialist @ RSSL (Reading Scientific Services)
Nemanja Grigic
Technical Cooperation Manager, Agribusiness @ EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development)
John Carrigan
Investment Director @ The Yield Lab
Alice Brown
Senior Associate, Climate and Sustainability @ Global Counsel
Matthew Tebeau
Chief Operational Officer @ Proteonpharma
Jowita Sewerska
Investment Director @ European Circular Bioeconomy Fund (ECBF)
Michał Piosik
Co-Founder @ Foodtech.ac
Albrecht Wolfmeyer
International Head @ ProVeg Incubator
Rebecca Brill
Investor @ Rvent
Bhakavadee Viseshakul
Open Innovation Manager @ CPF Food Research and Development Center
Christopher Aurand
Open Innovation Leader @ Thai Union
Mark Daly
Head of Technology & Innovation @ Bloomberg NEF
Kostas Valaris
VC @ Extantia Capital
Julian Klaiber
Investment Assosiate @ Munich VP
Nicolaus Norden
Investment Analyst @ Food Labs
Brought to you by
Food Tech Challengers is brought to you by Futurae Media, a global event organiser fostering innovation across multiple industries like Energy and Mobility, Food and Agriculture, Healthcare, and Urban Tech.
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